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                                      22/00423/B                                     Page  1  of  5

PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION

Application No. : 22/00423/B Applicant : Mr Jacob Moore Proposal : Widening of existing driveway to accommodate additional vehicles. Site Address : 2 Cooil Veg Andreas Isle Of Man IM7 4EU

Enforcement/Planning Assistant: Ms Charlotte Gatt Photo Taken :

Site Visit :

Expected Decision Level : Officer Delegation

Recommendation

Recommended Decision:

Permitted Date of Recommendation: 15.08.2022 __

Conditions and Notes for Approval

C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions

C 1. The development hereby approved shall be begun before the expiration of four years from the date of this decision notice.

Reason: To comply with Article 26 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.

C 2. The access hereby approved shall be provided in accordance with the approved details before the amended driveway is brought into use and retained as such thereafter.

Reasons: to ensure that the access is provided in accordance with the approved details in the interests of highway safety.

C 3. The existing road drainage shall be retained unless it is replaced with an alternative scheme which is in accordance with details which have first been approved in writing by the Department.

Reason: to ensure that the drive does not cause surface water issues for the adjacent highway.

N . The alteration to the highway, in the form of dropping kerbs (extension), will require a Section 109(A) Highway Agreement to be made post planning consent.

This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason.

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It is concluded that the planning application complies with General Policy 2 (b), (c), (g), (h) and (i) of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 and is therefore approved.

Plans/Drawings/Information;

This decision hereby approved relates to documents and drawings submitted to the Department titled:

Site and Location Plan and Existing and Proposed Site Plan

All recorded as being electronically received by the Department on 04.04.22

__

Interested Person Status - Additional Persons

None __

Officer’s Report

THE APPLICATION SITE 1.1 The site accommodates a detached bungalow with front and rear curtilage located within a cul de sac of similar bungalows within the rural settlement of Andreas. The property in question is their residential curtilage of 2 Cooil Veg, Andreas.

1.2 To the front of the property the garden is laid to grass with a concrete driveway in front of the garage (south east) of the property. The grassed area wraps around the side (west) of the property into the rear garden.

THE PROPOSAL 2.1 This application seeks approval for the widening of the existing driveway for additional vehicles. The alterations would create space for an additional two vehicles, this would bring the total number of vehicles parked on site to three.

2.2 The application would maintain around 50 percent of the existing lawned garden to the front elevation, and it is proposed to remove par of the existing front wall and rebuild to match existing to make good of the finish.

2.3 The driveway is to be finished in block paving.

PLANNING HISTORY 3.1 There are no previous planning applications in relation to this site.

PLANNING POLICY 4.1 In terms of land use designation the application site is located within a wider area of land this is designated as predominantly residential under the Isle of Man Planning Scheme (Development Plan) Provisional Order 1982. The site is not within a Conservation Area; nor within an area zoned as High Landscape or Coastal Value and Scenic Significance.

4.2 General Policy 2 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 is more specific in land use zoning and states: "Development which is in accordance with the land-use zoning and

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                                      22/00423/B                                     Page  3  of  5

proposals in the appropriate Area Plan and with other policies of this Strategic Plan will normally be permitted, provided that the development:

(b) respects the site and surroundings in terms of the siting, layout, scale, form, design and landscaping of buildings and the spaces around them; (c) does not affect adversely the character of the surrounding landscape or townscape; (g) does not affect adversely the amenity of local residents or the character of the locality; (h) provides satisfactory amenity standards in itself, including where appropriate safe and convenient access for all highway users, together with adequate parking, servicing and manoeuvring space; (i) does not have an unacceptable effect on road safety or traffic flows on the local highways;

3.3 The Residential Design Guide 2019 contains the following guidance;

• 6.3.4 Proposals which result in the loss of more than 50% of the existing front lawned/landscaped garden will not normally be supported, to ensure the character of the street scape is retained and avoid frontages of properties appearing as one large car parking area, detrimental to the appearance of the street scene and to the outlook of residents. It is important that the design of a driveway maintains a balance between hard and soft landscaping and contributes positively to the street scene. Proposals are unlikely to be supported where they do not meet the following guidelines:

o the area intended for the driveway should be the minimum space necessary (see the Manual for Manx Roads); o where possible, the impact of the driveway is lessened by retaining mature trees and shrubs and/or creating areas of new planting (for example, a planted strip or hedge between the vehicular and pedestrian access can help to break-up the appearance of the hardstanding whilst planting around the fringes of the driveway can also be used to good effect and may be used to help screen the vehicle); o if an opening is made in an existing wall, fence or other boundary feature, the ends should be made good with matching or sympathetic materials (i.e. pillars); o where possible, separate pedestrian access should be retained/provided (existing gates should normally be retained and any new gates should not open out over the highway); o any new gates, walls, fences or other boundary features should reflect the traditional style of the local area; o consideration should be given to a strip of grass or gravel placed in the centre of the hardstanding can hide leaked oil and maintain the look of a front garden; and o parking spaces should be avoided directly in front of any Primary Window as the resulting outlook can be undermined by the presence of parked cars.

• 6.3.7 Consideration needs to be given to the movement of people and vehicles entering and leaving the driveway/access. The following advice should be considered:

o to allow good visibility splays for cars leaving the driveway, vegetation or other features such as gates, pillars and walls should not be over 1m high within the required visibility splay (See Manual for Manx Roads to determine required visibility splay); and o cars should not overhang the pavement, should not block the entrance to the dwelling and a clear pathway should be provided at the entrance to the dwelling.

REPRESENTATIONS All representations can be read in full, online. This report contains summaries only.

5.1 Andreas Parish Commissioners were contacted and no comments have yet been received.

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5.2 Neighbours: No observations have been received from local residents

5.3 DOI Highway Services have provided the following comments: "The proposal is acceptable to Highways Development Control. It shows a widening of the existing access and driveway. These would be of adequate proportions. The exit visibility splays are maximised and short due to the position of the access at the end of the street and it being served from part of the area forming the turning head. These would measure 2 x 5.8m to the left and 2 x 6.3m to the right and would represent an improvement over the existing and offer better protection and more convenient use, including from the neighbouring driveway...

The widened driveway would allow the parking of two additional vehicles. It would be hard surfaced in a consolidated and bound material preventing debris and material from getting on to the highway. The Applicant is intending to install surface water drainage where necessary to ensure its containment within the site. The proposal does not raise significant road safety or network functionality issues. It would reduce the need for on-street parking, make for more convenient use and improve lines of sight from the driveway. This allows HDC to raise no opposition subject a condition to ensure that the proposed layout and construction comply with Drawing No: 01 rev 5. The Applicant is advised of the need for a s109(A) Highway Agreement to extend the dropped crossing after grant of any planning consent." (24.04.22)

ASSESSMENT 6.1 The main issues in the consideration of this application are: o Impact for users of the site o Highway safety o Impact on the visual appearance of the application site

6.2 Impact for users of the site.

6.2.1 The proposal would maintain the existing shared footpath for pedestrian access. An area will be created to extend the parking of one vehicle to three on the driveway. This will reduce the need for on street parking for the applicants, improving the situation for themselves and also neighbouring residents. The creation of the vehicular access/driveway will necessitate dropping of the nearside pavement and curb.

6.2.2 It is considered that the proposal is acceptable in regard to this issue.

6.3 Highway safety.

6.3.1 It is considered that the proposal will not have a detrimental impact on highway safety in terms of visibility. The existing situation will be improved and has been deemed acceptable by Highways Services.

6.3.2 The alteration to the highway, in the form of dropping kerbs (extension), will require a Section 109(A) Highway Agreement to be made post planning consent.

6.4 Impact on the visual appearance of the site.

6.4.1 The Residential Design Guide 2019 indicates not more than 50% of existing front lawned/landscaped garden be lost. The proposal would maintain more 50% of the front lawn to the north east of the property boundary. On balance, this would be deemed acceptable I when taking the whole street scene into consideration.

6.4.2 The existing driveway entrance is basic in terms of finish, with a small wall on the boundary to the front of the property and proposal for a block paved driveway leading to the

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main entrance. The landscaped area of grass to the west of the existing driveway would be partially removed and replaced with block paving and the existing low boundary wall where the access is proposed is be removed in part and made good so to comply with the design guide, in terms of the opening be finished.

6.4.3 It is considered that the proposal complies with General Policy 2 in regard to this issue.

6.4.4 The nearby properties directly adjacent to the application site benefit from off road parking similarly with properties on the adjacent road the dwellings share a concrete driveway for the parking off vehicles leading onto the properties garages, with space for four cars (2 cars per property).

6.4.5 The development of the planning application would be in character with the surrounding area, and the development is therefore considered acceptable.

CONCLUSION 7.1 It is concluded that the planning application complies with General Policy 2 (b), (c), (g), (h) and (i) of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 and is therefore recommended for approval.

INTERESTED PERSON STATUS 8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No 2) Order 2013 (Article 6(4), the following persons are automatically interested persons: (a) The applicant, or if there is one, the applicant's agent; (b) The owner and the occupier of any land that is the subject of the application or any other person in whose interest the land becomes vested; (c) Any Government Department that has made written submissions relating to planning considerations with respect to the application that the Department considers material (d) Highway Services Division of Department of Infrastructure and (e) The local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated.

8.2 The decision maker must determine: o whether any other comments from Government Departments (other than the Department of Infrastructure Highway Services Division) are material; and o whether there are other persons to those listed in Article 6(4) who should be given Interested Person Status. __

I can confirm that this decision has been made by a Principal Planner in accordance with the authority afforded to that Officer by the appropriate DEFA Delegation and that in making this decision the Officer has agreed the recommendation in relation to who should be afforded Interested Person Status.

Decision Made : Permitted

Date: 18.08.2022

Determining officer

Signed : C BALMER

Chris Balmer

Principal Planner

Customer note

This copy of the officer report reflects the content of the file copy and has been produced in this form for the benefit of our online services/ customers and archive records.